Before
looking at Venetian gowns of the mid to late 16th century, consider
first what makes a Venetian gown different form other areas of the time.

And what other 'rules' apply to this dress code.

Silhouette.The distinctive silhouette of the Venetian.Full hips, but not unnaturally full.Lack of curvature of the torso and fitted bodice.

Open V front of the dress not
seen anywhere else.

The V in the back of the
waistline of the dress.

Very wide necklines.

Skirts used a lot of fabric
giving that extra fullness. Hoops and bum rolls were not used.

Sleeves that were designed not
to be restrictive, but comfortable, and matched the accompanying dress, these
sleeves were mostly detachable .

Sleeves that were embellished
with cutwork were not then treated as lantern sleeves.

Cut worked
sleeves were also finished with lace cuffs.

Embellishments.The Venetian dress code differed form other areas because of its lack of
embellishments such as embroidery or beadwork.Preferring the lush and voluminous nature of the fabric to speak for itself.

Lace is one embellishment they loved and used well. Not too
much, but enough for the casual observer to understand that this was a status
symbol.

Jewellery.The simplicity of
a single strand of large pearls about the neck was not seen else where at this
time.Single pearl drops from a
large hoop earring were like wise unique.

Other jewels were employed, but not the the same extent as the English at the
same time.

Accessories.Things such as

Footwear in the form of chopines were distinctively Venetian shape.

Flag fans at this time were almost exclusive to the Venetian
ensemble.

Ruffs worn at the shoulders are not seen elsewhere at this time.

Three distinct occacsions for hair styles.

The horn hairstyle was most assuredly Venetian in its
extreme, and used for formal and celebratory occasions.

The proliferation of
braids in hairstyles is the more casual, around the Villa style. This may
also have been used before achieving the towering horned styles.

The
simplicity of braids in a bun at the back of the head. The utilitarian
at home in the palazzo style.

Hats were an
anomaly and not generally seen.

Cuffs
on a full sleeve only show lace. Lantern style sleeves show the ruffle of
the chemise extending from underneath.

Hem
finishes are minimal in treatment. Guarding is not used on Venetian
hems. An accent strip is occasionally seen, and would appear to be purely
decorative.